Bright Ideas Competition
Earn 5 points towards your Ec. D designation!
Are you eligible?
The Bright Ideas Competition is open to any EDCO member in good standing.
What's the cost?
$50 plus HST
How do I register?
2026 registration is now closed.
To learn more about our Bright Ideas Competition we encourage you to read through the EDCO BIC Handbook 2026.
Thinking about entering the Bright Ideas Competition int he future? Watch the recording from our information session, to explore the challenge, ask questions, and get inspired. Whether you're new to economic development or looking to stretch your skills, this session will set you up for success. The 2026 Registration is closed, 2027 registration will open February 2027!
The Bright Ideas Competition is an annual idea competition for economic development practitioners of all experience levels. It is designed to give economic developers from across Ontario the opportunity to develop a modern response to proposed topics, have the work evaluated and receive 5 professional certification points towards your designation.
Join your fellow colleagues and team up to take on one of today's prominent economic development challenges. Propose a modern solution in a risk-free working environment and help create a resource that will better improve our economic development community.
2026 Competition Topics
The 2026 Bright Ideas Competition participant groups will develop a topic of their own choosing. This topic should aim to develop an innovative solution to an issue or struggle that municipalities in Ontario are facing. Below is a list of guiding principles that your topic should aim to meet:
- The topic should be new and upcoming in Ontario
- The topic shouldn't have a clear industry best practice already developed
- The topic should touch on all or a high number of municipalities in the province
- The topic should be something that your group believes an innovative solution can help fix
Next steps?
Your group will need to submit a short proposal document (less than 1000 words) that outlines the following:
- A clear definition of the problem that will be reviewed
- A proposed methodology on how your group will aim to tackle this issue
- Define a workplan and a timeline, including established meeting dates with your group and with your mentor
- Provide information on why this topic is relevant to economic development and how it will help other solve the specific issues
Previous topics:
– Making Canada One Market: Interprovincial Export Circles
– Fostering Entrepreneurship Among Older Ontarians
– Building Economic Resilience through Inclusive Procurement
– Fostering Entrepreneurial Talent in Millennial and Gen Z in Ontario
– Recruitment, On-Boarding and Retention of New Canadians
– AI and Amplified Individuals: The Future of Economic Development in the Municipal Sector
– Retooling for the future
– Public Sector Best Practices for Encouraging Small Business Transitions
– Addressing the Housing Crisis
· Covid-19: Disaster Preparedness & Economic Resilience
· Tackling Diversity in the Economic Development Profession
· Post Covid-19 Tourism Recovery
· Coping with Housing and Commercial Real Estate Demand
· Building Better Communities through Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
| Launch | EDCO 69th Annual Showcase |
| Registration Period | February 3 – April 10th, 2026 |
| Registration Payment Deadline | April 24th, 2026 – New Date!! |
| Competition Kick-Off | Week of May 4, 2026 |
| Competition Check-In & Report Outline | June 19 & 26, 2026 |
| Competition Check-In & Progress Report | September 18 & 25, 2026 |
| Team Submissions Due | November 2, 2026 |
| Preliminary Judging | November 13, 2026 |
| Seminar & Awards Announcement | EDCO 70th Annual Showcase |
Past Competitions:
2025 Competition:
-
Making Canada One Market: Interprovincial Export Circles – Toolkit Website – Lauren McEachern, Sushmitha Thirumalaivasan and Jessica Rhynas – Winner!
- Encore Entrepreneurs: Fostering Entrepreneurship Among Older Ontarians Xiao Xiao, Dr. Jeffrey Wilson and Tracey McGillivray
- Resilient By Design: Building Economic Resilience through Inclusive Procurement Alieu Jallow and Lindsey McLean
2024 Competition:
- Fostering Entrepreneurial Talent in Millennial and Gen Z Ontarians Report Ruth Walker Scott, Jayesh Menon, Kseniia Tymchenko Video: Fostering Entrepreneurial Talent
- Recruitment, On-Boarding and Retention of New Canadians:Jason Adade, Julia Ciolfi, Becky Ewald Video: Recruitment, On-Boarding and Retention Video
- AI and Amplified Individuals The Future of Economic Development in the Public Sector Prerna Sharma, Kate Quigley, Mason Ainsworth – Winner! Video: AI and Amplified Individuals_ Transformi 2024-11-17 (2)
2023 Competition
- Addressing the Housing Crisis with Timber Solutions: Genny Smith & Sarah Bencic
- Public Sector Best Practices for Encouraging Small Business Transitions: Brenna Carroll & Brittany Wise – Winner!
- Retooling For The Future: Elizabeth Edwards
2022 Competition
- EV Charger Toolkit: Alex Ripley, Madeleine Riley, Trisha Walton, Marcus Tignanelli, and Kyra Cole
- Housing Readiness Assessment : Elle Crevits, Lauren MacDermid, and Harshit Sekhri – Winner!
- Public Mobile Robots: Anthony N Fernando and Jayme Turney
2020 Competition
- Ontario's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Innovating for Future Growth, Emmanuel Rey and Cagdas Onen
- Performance Measurement : Alia Abbas, Amanda St. John and Brandon Webb – Winner!
- Youth Retention Report : Lucas Chang, Eli Levin and Ferene Navarra
2019 Competition
- Cannabis Industry in the Community: Zach Gable and Tyson McMann
- Innovation in the Municipal Sector: Laura Thompson and Jessica Linthorne – Winner!
- Progressive Downtowns through Retail Revitalization Clark Hoskin, Paul McGrath and Judy Morgan